Girls on Cogs

Miles: 28

Punctures: Mat 1. Inner tube change 9 mins….not bad

How many of us biked to work…. 4 out of 5. Not bad, but could be better!!

So we are back into blogging and Tuesday nights cycling and this week it was a glorious evening. It is also Bike to Work Week incidentally.

Mat, Anna, Stav, Hels and I headed out along the canal to Watermead Park where Mat encountered his puncture. The rest of us enjoyed a short lived lie on the grass whilst Mat effortlessly changed it in 9 mins. I always make a meal of it and get covered in oil! I will take heed in the fact I am not a complete girl and can at least independently change a tyre. Although I love my new puncture resistant tyres. Life is so much easier!

We seemed to take forever to find our way out of Watermead and eventually headed out towards Syston, South Croxton and Ashby Folville for dinner.

Enjoyed a shandy sitting outdoors and had a pub meal.

Headed home in the dark, but this is fairly usual practice and also made good time, despite Helen’s lights jumping of her bike at least twice.

Miles Cycled : 80
Hours taken: 7.5
Navigation: Not bad

Well it made a pleasant change waking up at the Bamford Barn with a clear head! Hel’s and I tucked into a large bowl of porridge with some left over cream from last night……. Surely we need the calories!!
Everyone pulled together to clear up the barn and all headed off in different directions about 11.30am to go walking, climbing and mountain biking. Hel’s and I a little pleased with ourselves leaving 30 mins earlier than planned. We set off at a good pace and headed towards Bakewell and Matlock, using the A6, although it was busy it was also scenic and psychologically it worked well because we cycled nearly 30 miles in 2 hours…. If only for the massive hill towards Wirksworth!
Stav might have a point about the talking (see Tuesday night Club)!!! We did a lot less of it because of the busy road and progressed more miles.
We stopped every 2 hours to eat and apply much needed sun cream. As we approach Derby we decided to take the cycle route towards Melbourne and the signpost for Leicester. Started quite well and eventually ended up on the canal path. Again started reasonably well, but the signs disappeared and the good path turned into a very narrow and bumpy one. We next cycled along a path parallel to the A50. Slightly less scenic and more lots of broken glass! Also encountered a group of ‘youths’ on bikes who gave us a bit of banter. We politely thanked them for moving out of our way and cycled off at high speed…… shame it was the wrong way and had to cycled passed them again feeling a little stupid!
We were now on the homeward stretch, so decided to take the A6 again via Loughborough. We had a quick coke in the pub and set off. Again busy, but not too unpleasant and the sun was still shinning as we arrived home just before 7pm.

What we learned: The canal is not a good option and we probably should of remembered that from one of the early outings in the year.

Cycle paths are not always signposted well.

Less talking… maybe we should only do that every 2 hours?

Sunday night drinking in the pub garden with your mates….is brilliant!!

Miles estimated: 70

Miles cycled: 87

Route revisions: several (due to hilly minor roads…)

Hours taken: 9

With the weekends before the big trip racing past, we decided to cycle up to the Peaks for the summer barn weekend in Bamford.  Google maps said it would be approximately 70 miles, so with an average speed of 10mph (including breaks) we could take a half day off work and still get to the pub in time for food and couple of beers with the gang……or maybe not!).  We set off from Leicester at 1.30pm, and the sun was shining.  Lovely!  We headed out towards Newtown Linford, past the Ferrers Centre, through Melbourne and arrived in Mickleover around 4.30, over 30 miles completed.  We were both gasping for a drink, so had a break at a roadside pub for some iced cokes – well, we were on schedule and almost half way there (or so we thought…). 

Back on the road, we picked our way along some small, unclassified roads which appeared to be a fairly direct route northwards to Bakewell.  It was all very scenic, pretty cottages, rambling roses, sheep in the fields etc….but also very hilly and a bit slow going….and we were probably not going to make it to the pub in time for food.  Oh well…have to be chips on route – we’d eaten all our food and only had one dextrose tablet left between us).  By around 9, we were approaching Bakewell, having changed to B roads in the hope we could gain some time and speed.  We’d definitely be there for last orders!  From Bakewell, we sped along the A619 to Baslow, through Grindleford (there was a big hill here under the railway bridge, and no getting off to push as some of the gang might be driving past!) on to Hathersage, where it was only a couple of miles to Bamford.  Despite the light evenings, it was properly dark by the time we rocked up at the pub at 10.30, but we had done nearly 90 miles in 9 hours.  We’d not managed to find any chippies,  so time for a big pint of water (even I finished a whole pint of water before tucking into the beery refreshments) – and good news….the pub was open til 1am!  So we were able to enjoy the beer, the company of our friends, and a couple of games of pool.  Excellent.  (might revise the route home on Sunday though…)

What we learnt:  Add on at least 10% to the google miles, and avoid unclassified roads if you want to arrive in daylight (‘u’ roads not always shown on road atlases or signposted)

Hope know-one was worried we have been slacking on the training, just because we have been slacking on the blog!!! Although between Hel’s and I, we have struggled to cycle at the weekends, but have both once again been heavily involved in alcohol training!
Anyway at least Tuesday nights are back on. Despite smaller numbers than previous years, we have been back out cycling on a Tuesday night. This has probably been a summer past time for at least 5 years. We tend to meet about 6pm ish and head out into the county for about 25 miles and stop along the way for dinner in a local pub.

We recently cycled out to Mowsley heading out along The Great Central Way and towards Wigston, Countersthorpe and Saddington. Very nice and slightly more expensive than usual meal at The Staff of Life. Hel’s and I enjoyed ourselves but apparently we ‘were annoying’!! Stav complained we cycled too slow and talked too much……. he might be right about the talking!!!
Similar route the following week through Narborough, Willoby Waterleys and Arnesby and a curry. Not bad meal although one of the dishes looked like an ‘Uncle Ben’s’ cooking sauce!
Hel’s and I had a few navigational errors but were able to correct ourselves. Obviously Mat and Stav enjoyed this! They think we are going to zig zag up the country!

Hours of sleep the night before: at least 9!
Units of alcohol: apparently there’s 2.6 units per bottle of Newcastle Brown, and recommended units per day for women are 2-3 so I definintely had more than double that – and binged!
Chain slippages: at least 7 for Em but all expertly recovered whilst still in motion.
Punctures: 0 (hurrah for re-inforced tyres!)
Navigational errors (just a little detour coming into Willington…)
Total Miles: 67

With the weeks ticking away before our big LEJOG (Land’s End to John O’Groats), Em and I decided we should cycle back from the Peaks, during the first may bank holiday. We spent the weekend climbing on Froggatt and walking in the Manifold Valley, and would then cycle back from Butterton to Leicester on the Monday. We awoke to rain on canvas on the Monday morning – fairly typical of a bank holiday Monday, so we didn’t rush to get up, optimistically hoping the rain would clear….

By midday it was cold but dry, so we quickly planned a route along minor roads, and leapt onto our bikes which had been standing locked to a telegraph pole in the campsite for the past couple of days, and were by this point a little wet. Our route took a steep downhill to start with, but conscious of the wet conditions, narrow road and sharp bends, we were a bit cautious. We then had a steep incline up into Alstonefield, and rolling roads through very pretty countryside to Ilam (not 11am! Or the village hit by the black death and origin of the well-known nursery rhyme ‘Ring a ring o’ Roses – that’ll be Eyam). I was being very observant this trip – having missed loads of good stuff previously and we surprised live hares, pheasants –even an owl flew across my path at one point. We made reasonable time over the undulating roads to Ashbourne, then through Osmaston, Alkmonton to Hatton and Hilton. Following the same road as taken during Bar-Yar, we somehow missed Willington and found ourselves heading towards Derby on the A516. Quickly correcting the error, we got back on track to Willington and called in to Pen’s in Repton for a very welcome hot drink and lunch break. Having warmed ourselves up, we were back on the road to Ticknall, Ashby, Packington, Heather (where we’d cycled previously to see the town’s scarecrow creations), then the homeward stretch through Desford and Kirby Muxloe to arrive home by 7.15. Not a bad effort considering the weather wasn’t’ making anyone envious of our plan earlier that morning….

Well the plan to start early and ride about 50/60 miles was thwarted by a rather large friday night out!!! I think I crawled into bed about 4am and Helen about 6am!! Downed rather a lot of cocktails. Went out straight from work having not eaten a lot, but luckily those creamy cocktails are a meal in themselves!!!
Woke up with a large headache and stayed in bed, choosing to ignore the phone with the knowledge it was Helen!! (sorry Hels). Eventually phoned her back. Would either of us buckle and call it off……
Eventually headed out on the B4114 which is a rather fast and busy road. Nice sunny day for cycling, but my head was still a little sore.
A very poor 10 miles later we arrived at Stoney Cove Dive Centre. The car park was full of scuba divers. Sat out on the deck of the pub and enjoyed Brie, Bacon and Cranberry Bagette with chips and glass of coke. Perfect hangover cure.
Headed back to Leicester via Narborough and the Narborough Hall gift shop. Lots of beautiful things. Helen and I then had a very serious conversation about what would happen if we wanted to buy any souvenirs or gifts on the ‘End to End’…… seriously like we are going to have time to shop!!! ….. anyway we could always get it posted!!
Another 10 miles and we were done!!

What we learnt: Perhaps we need to be a bit more sensible the night before a bike ride and shopping on the end-end is problably quite a low priority!

Challenge: Team Bar-Yar to complete final leg of around 22 miles from Norwich to Great Yarmouth, dip toes in sea and eat a big portion of fish and chips!

No holding back on the full breakfast this morning! On the road by 9.30, we all headed out together, following a group photo shot mounted on the bikes, for the final 20 odd miles. We opted for minor roads to begin with, then onto the nasty A47 into Great Yarmouth to meet train times. We arrived at the sea front around 12, threw off our shoes to dip our feet in the very cold sea. WE MADE IT!!

It was then time to do the traditional bank holiday seaside things so we had fish and chips on the sea front and persuaded everyone to enjoy a round of crazy golf at the pirate themed course ….’ahoy me hearties’. All the excitement over, it was time to head to the station, pack the bikes into the bus and make the train journey back to Leicester.

Punctures: 1 (Stav)
Chain de-railings: 2 – Em again!
Lost spokes: 2 (Stav)

Thought for the day: How brilliant to have a set of friends who enjoy spending bank holidays cycling from one side of the country to another!

Challenge: Team Bar-Yar to ride approximately 83 miles from Peterborough to Norwich

Unbelievably everyone was genuinely disappointed to discover we could not have breakfast until 8am!! We wanted to be on the road, but the all-you-could-eat Premier Inn Breakfast won everyone over, but with an unexpected number of non fried options!!

The flat Norfolk fens were surprisingly dull and we actually longed for some hills to break it up. Cycling was a little hampered by the head wind and unfortunately for Dave the railway crossing too. He had a little tumble but no serious injury thankfully. We took a cycle network path for a bit of variety but this just took us along 3 sides of a field and not fun on skinny tyres…

We stopped in Downham Market for lunch in a little café, then pushed on through Watton to Norwich. Was a bit of a slower day and we finally arrived about 7pm, to be greeted by the earlier arrivals, on their way out to the pub.

Norwich was not particularly lively for a bank holiday, but we managed to find a little Italian restaurant at short notice for 14 people. Sadly there were no pubs open after 10.30pm, so it was back to the boys room for a can of Carlsberg to celebrate completing the majority of the journey with just the last 20 odd miles to the coast to finish tomorrow.

Chain de-railings: 2 (Em again!)
No. of easter eggs: 14! Courtesy of the emergency services girls

Thought for the day: Cycling into a head wind is hard work, even on the flat!

Day 3: Sat 11^th April

Challenge: Team Bar-Yar to complete minimum of 110 miles (depending on routes) from Stoke to Peterborough

Saturday posed the longest mileage of over 100 miles, and we had pre-booked a breakfast – a meagre bowl of cereal (not large enough to feed a sparrow!) and an oaty biscuit, if you were lucky (Helen and I had to share one). So well fuelled, we headed out of Stoke through maze of ring roads (w with the help of some sat nav). This saw the first of my chain de-railing problems. Finding ourselves on the A50 (not to be recommended), we quickly scooted onto a slip road to find some more friendly traffic…

A brief stop in Uttoxeter, we were persuaded by the pasty shops to have a hot sausage roll before winding our way to Donnington as the next designated stop. Cycled from here with Phil and Jo to Melton, where we would have a coffee and cake reward. Last 30 miles to Peterborough we elected to take the main A606 around Rutland Water (warned of a couple of nasty hills) but a more direct route and very enjoyable. It was a long day of 110 miles, and we arrived in the dark, but importantly there was no ‘sense of humour failure!’

Premier Inn at Peterborough was a much more comfortable stay (and the purple obviously pleased Helen of course!)

Punctures: 1 (Dave)

Snapped gear cables: 1 (Tricky)

Chain de-railings: 3 (Me– who then gave up on all cogs except the large one and cycled up all the big hills in very low gears)

Casualties requiring emergency transit services: 2 (Dave & Trick – sorry!)

Thought for the day: When estimating mileage, always add 10%

Day 2: Fri 10^th April

Challenge: Team Bar-Yar to ride approximately 90 miles to Stoke on Trent

In spite of our poor history of setting off on schedule, everyone was on the road by 8am after a hearty porridge breakfast, and in high spirits in spite of the damp, grey, drizzly weather. It wasn’t long before we had to stop for a hot, creamy chocolate to get some feeling back into our hands and feet.

We’d completed almost 30 miles in a couple of hours and agreed that these were good chunks to break the journey into. So onward in the rain, we amused ourselves by watching the little lambs playing in the welsh fields, and by spotting interesting things along the way. Well I did, Helen less so!

…..Helen did you see… no.. what about….. no!! ….over there… no!!!!!!!!!!

Our route took us past Bala, through Llangollen, Whitchurch and Madeley before arrived in Stoke’s finest Travelodge! along a very busy A34 to miss out the alternative. Prettier route with lots of fe**king hills apparently.

Chain de-railings: 1 spectacular dismount of chain to middle of road, which was then run over by passing traffic (Stav)

Thought for the day: The Rain is inevitable